The early life stages of marine fishes
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| Keywords |
Development
Feeding
Growth
Habitat
Transport
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| Author keywords |
Early life stages; Egg; Larva; Juvenile |
| Authors | | Top |
- Duffy-Anderson, J.T.
- Deary, A.L.
- Juanes, F.
- Le Pape, O.
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| Abstract |
Successful recruitment of marine fish in early life history stages determines the abundance and diversity of fish populations in the ocean and, as such, has critical effects on marine ecosystem function and dynamics. However, early life stages are more vulnerable to environmental variability and perturbations, such as changes in temperature, oceanographic conditions, and prey availability, than their adult counterparts, making this phase in the life of a fish highly uncertain. This chapter explores the key paradigms that shape our understanding of fish’s early life history, recruitment dynamics, and the factors that influence the biology and ecology of vulnerable young fish. The chapter also explores the potential effects of climate and ocean changes on the phenology, distribution, abundance, and recruitment of these key life stages. Understanding the complex interactions between young fish, their recruitment potential, ocean habitat, and climate change is crucial to developing strategic management strategies that increase the likelihood of early life survivorship and recruitment success, inclusive of setting climate-informed harvest limits, designing and siting marine protected areas that steward critical spawning and nursery habitat, and developing targeted conservations measures that protect species with early life stages that particularly vulnerable to climate variability. |
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